Many modern electronic shifters use one or more position sensors at each shift position (e.g., Forward, Neutral, Reverse). These position sensors are, in many cases, contact-type switches. While these types of switches have generally worked well to date, these switches do exhibit certain drawbacks. For example, these switches can exhibit limited life due to mechanical wear and tear. Moreover, contact sputtering can lead to reduced reliability. In particular, a contact sputter could cause undesired connections, which could result in blown fuses. The current configuration of the switches also makes it difficult to implement health monitoring. All of these drawbacks result in a relatively expensive and complicated system, which leads to increased manufacturing costs.
Hence, there is a need for a shift lever position detector that does not rely on contact-type switches and/or allows for health monitoring and/or is relatively inexpensive and relatively less complicated than current solutions. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.